Father-daughter duo rejoin team for second 100 mile cycle for charity

Amateur cyclists Diane Lightfoot, 42, from Bromley, and her father Jeff, 70, from Orpington, are training for a 100 mile cycling challenge for charity as they prepare for the August 2nd RideLondon event.

Diane is Director of Fundraising and Communications for national disability charity United Response, which supports people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health needs across England and Wales.

The third Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 will set off from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, along a 100-mile route through the capital’s closed roads and into Surrey before ending at the Mall, following the London 2012 Olympic route.

Diane said: “After a lifetime within a family of keen cyclists, I finally gave in last year and began training for my first RideLondon along with my Dad, which was a tough but enjoyable challenge.

“Last year, bad weather prohibited us and others from completing the full course, with the iconic Leith Hill and Box Hill climbs being removed from the course and so we felt compelled to take part again and do the whole 100!

“Training is proving even tougher this year without the novelty factor - and we are 112 years old between us! - so we are still looking for as much support as possible ahead of the big day.”

So far, Diane has received support from family and friends, and her father has agreed to take part in the closed-road event alongside her for a second consecutive year.

Last year Jeff, who is a lifelong cyclist, helped out by training with Diane for the event before getting the bug himself and signing up! And so the pair agreed early on this year that they would take part in the Prudential RideLondon – Surrey 100 together in aid of United Response.

Diane is hoping a few more riders will join the charity’s team ahead of the 6th May sign up deadline and is looking forward to the crowd of supporters cheering on cyclists on the day.

Diane explained: “Last year’s fundraising went well and did great things for the charity, as a team of staff members and United Response supporters took part. This year, I am hoping to continue raising funds for the charity’s important work across the country.”

Ahead of the release of the VODG report, ‘Closing the Disability and Employment Gap’, United Response’s chief executive Tim Cooper, spoke at the Learning Disability Today exhibition in London about closing the disability employment gap.

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Easy News is the first news magazine designed to be accessible for people with learning disabilities, aimed to encourage discussion around news stories and keep readers informed about the world around them. Read the latest issue here.

We work with young people and adults with a wide range of learning disabilities across England and Wales. To plan the right kind of support, we work closely with each individual and the people who are important to them. In this way, they get the support they want, in the way they want.

Although we support people across the whole range of learning disabilities, we have particular expertise in supporting people with more complex needs – including people who other agencies have not been able to support. We have a strong track record in supporting people to move on and to enjoy a better quality of life.